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Through the Looking Glass
"Persecution of director of Azerbaijani Theater of Young Spectators Jannat Salimova"
Jannat Salimova, chief director and head of Azerbaijan State Theater of Young Spectators, studied at the philology department of Baku State University, then at Leningrad Institute of Theater, Music and Cinematography. She is known for her stagings of works by Dostoevsky, Chekhov and other classics at theaters of Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Kiev. She is opposed by the majority of the theater’s staff at the head of stage directors Nijat Kazimov and Agalar Idrisoglu.
The main demand is to dismiss Jannat Salimova. A group of theater employees applied to the Ministry of Culture demanding to dismiss the “corrupt” chief director.
The accusation is Zionism and Armenophilia.
А. Agalar Idrisoglu:
“Jannat Salimova should be dismissed from her post.”
“She only stages works of classics and prevents us from making sharp stagings of works by contemporary writers.”
“Her stagings discredit the Azerbaijani people.”
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Nijat Kazimov:
“Her performances stand out for a low literary quality, Zionist position, with aversion to the Azerbaijanis clearly seen in all of her stagings. It is her way of thinking.”
“She appointed me assistant to director Natalia Bashova, invited from Belarus, and when I rebuffed sharply, she said to Natalia, “Just take it easy. This is a savage people.”
“Half-Jewish, half- Lezghin, she treats us, the staff, like a stepmother. Moreover, during an argument with one of the theater employees, she said, “I love the Jewish people. I want everyone to know that I treat the great Armenian people with great love and bow my head before it.” Although she retracts her words, the fact remains.
I think she should be dismissed, such a person has no right to work with our children.”
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Justifications of Jannat Salimova:
“I would not like to respond and prove that I am not a camel. Besides, what can I say in response to a filthy man like him, 38-year-old director whose works include only one staging – that of a very dubious tale, Mother Goose?”
I have devoted my whole life to Azerbaijani children and theater, my husband is Azerbaijani and, of course, I could not say that it is a savage people. It is a lie and slander.
As regards the Armenians, you know, my words came in response to his direct unquotable swearing at the artistic council meeting: “… your Jewish-Armenian…(the rest is unquotable).” I interrupted him and said, “I respect the Jewish people and hate Jewish fascism, I respect the German people and hate German fascism, I respect the Armenian people and hate Armenian fascism.” These are different things.
You know, even if an Armenian says that he hates Azerbaijan but meanwhile acknowledges the great heritage of its classics – Fizuli, Nasimi, Vagif, Samed Vurgun, Huseyn Javid, acknowledges its culture and literature, I will smother in kisses an Armenian like this. Please understand me correctly.”
